Month: January 2010

Oooo… It’s the 13th Mid-week Mini-Break. 13 is supposed to be one unlucky number, but how could that be true when we chanced upon all these lucky Goodwill finds? Here’s a round-up of the best treasures shown off on the web (and just a taste of the great stuff waiting at a Goodwill near you), courtesy of…

Daily Danny: Whenever I do a TV segment or magazine shoot, I have to buy multiples of products and supplies to show the various steps it takes to get from Point A to Point B in a project… That’s why I love Goodwill for things like this: they have ample supplies of donated goods, it’s cheap and all the money used to buy these items diverts it from landfills and supports a worthwhile nonprofit.

Niche collectors, take note: Goodwill is full of bizarre, wonderful finds like this 24-page Wizard of Oz collectible edition. There's no place like Goodwill!

Magician of Oz: I am a fan of auctions, thrift shops, yard sales and the like. In particular, I love shopping at Goodwill whenever the opportunity presents itself. Although it is not an every time occurrence, more often than not I usually find something Wizard of Oz related. Today was, of course, no exception.

These two Italian little bowls were part of GirloftheBlog's big Goodwill haul - which also included a porcelain dish from 1929 & a vintage bassinet - all for $14.14!

people. places. objects.: i decided to hit up goodwill in avon lake today. uh, it was packed. it was insanity. apparently saturday is THE day to go to goodwill. i’m glad i faced the crowd though because i found a few gems. and i got them all for a grand total of $14.14.!

Love one genre above all others? Follow Green Skeleton Gaming Guild's lead & get a whole bundle of books for small change at your local Goodwill.

Green Skeleton Gaming Guild: Was out running errands all day, happened to be by the local Goodwill/Thrift Store so I zipped in. Boy am I glad I did! Some great books for $1-2 bucks a piece! Ya can’t beat that!

What a beautiful week this has turned into! Here at our headquarters in Queens, we can only imagine how stunning it must be further upstate. While we dream of those beautiful Hudson Valley views, all of you in Orange, Westchester, Rockland and Dutchess counties should take advantage of the great weather with a scenic mini-road trip made up of local Goodwill stores. Our Guide to GoodwillNyNj: Hudson Valley is full of can’t miss destinations for your treasure-hunting day trip… Enjoy!:

Amy loves Spring Cleaning. And why wouldn’t she? Spring Cleaning is, after all, a great time to tackle that closet, rediscover old gems and laugh at some serious fashion mistakes.

In fact, taking on your wardrobe is so rewarding, why wait ’til April? After the holidays and After-Christmas sales, our closets are packed to the gills. Imagining the mess another few months could foster, Amy decided to take a close look at her old clothes right here in January – and here’s what she’s decided to donate to her local Goodwill in Brooklyn:

First up was this hibiscus print pink dress. Flirty, fun, and high-fructose-pink, this would be a perfect outfit for anyone headed on a Spring Break trip to the islands, a President’s Weekend on Miami Beach, or even a Girls’ Tiki Night here at home.

Next to go into the Winter Cleaning donation bag was this sunburst of a summer frock. Completely comfy and full of cheer, this dress would be great for a low-key beach wedding in Mexico – or paired with a skinny belt, tights, a jacket and boots, could be just the thing for a winter dinner out on the town with friends.

Last but not least – this polka dot party dress. Whether you’re headed to LA for a week of sunshine or thinking ahead to next year’s Halloween (a game of Twister, anyone?), this Winter Cleaning treasure is yours to discover. Just get yourself to a Goodwill near you and enjoy!

And now that her closet is finally sorted, Amy can go back to what really matters… Playtime!

Welcome to another Mid-Week Mini-Break – where we steal you away from your weekday routine to scour the internet for unique Goodwill finds. If these treasures are out there, imagine what’s in a Goodwill store near you! So, without further ado, here’s another installment of…

…Blog Posts We Really Like This Week:

Attention chefs!: Goodwill is your go-to resource for incredible cookbook bargains. This Larousse Gastronomique (a cornerstone of French cuisine, published in 1961) was only $2.50. C'est incroyable! - or, how we say, "That's incredible!"

Confessions of a Plate Addict: I also love my Larousse Gastronomique. It’s is a first American edition(1961) of a very well-known French food and wine encyclopedia and is without doubt one of the most interesting books I have ever picked up! It not only defines every food and cooking term that you can imagine (plus a multitude that I have never heard of), it also gives the history of many dishes, mini-biographies of famous historical figures associated with food and needless to say, includes recipes for oodles of French dishes… Oh, I have not even scratched the surface! This will be a fun book! The cost?…$2.50!

Like this:

Off to a Happy New Year! Why is it so happy? Because it’s a time when anything’s possible. It’s a time to dress for success and put your best foot forward…

Stuart Weltzman pumps like these can cost $300 or more, but these little blue babies? $40 at the 23rd Street Goodwill. Plus, you're supporting sustainable fashion.

… and if you want to put that best foot in an environmentally-smart, wallet-savvy, designer shoe, why not? We’ve got the goods here at Goodwill – and our retail store at 220 East 23rd street in Manhattan is the perfect place to pop by to prepare your closet for all the good things 2010 will bring.

In fact, there’s such a wealth of good finds at the 23rd Street store that we have too many snapshots for just one post. Instead of the usual one-shot store wrap up, we’re going to give you three:

1.

HIS

2.

HERS

and

3.

HER SHOES

But before we begin to show off the goods, we thought we’d share a little more about what makes this specific Gramercy Park store so special… So without further ado (or any more shoes), click on the link below for the insider’s guide to the 23rd Street Store. Enjoy!

We hope you’re out there celebrating this day with service. If you are, we’d love to hear about it – just send a note about what you’re doing this day to goodwillnynj@gmail.com.

If you don’t have set service plans and still want to make a difference, please consider donating to the Haitian Relief Fund. Just head into any Goodwill store and ask to speak with the Store Manager. They will be happy to collect any donation you can give, and we will send that straight to Doctors Without Borders to help the situation in Haiti.

And while you’re in the Goodwill store making a difference globally, you can help your local community too by either donating your own lightly used goods or buying something from our stores. The money you spend in Goodwill goes back to our community programs, helping get people in your state, city and neighborhood back into the workforce as seamlessly as possible.

For an added plus, we’re even having a special sale today – with 15%off everything all day-long in every Goodwill store in Greater New York (including NYC) and Northern New Jersey. We hope to see you there – and have a great weekend!

We are collecting donations for the Haitian Relief Fund in all our Goodwill stores. The contributions will be going directly to Doctors without Borders. For your monetary donations, please see the Store Manager at any Goodwill store in Greater New York and Northern New Jersey. Thank you.

Like this:

Ahh, it’s time again for another World Wide Web round-up where we travel around the internet to see the kinds of outstanding finds you might just discover in your local Goodwill store! Are your virtual bags packed? Are your virtual tickets in order? Are you virtual toiletries in virtual 3 oz. containers sealed in virtual plastic baggies? Then it sounds like we’re set! Here we go on Mid-Week Mini-Break celebration of…

…Blog Posts We Really Like This Week!:

Audrey's blog HomeRunBallerina is full of inspiring style - and we were thrilled to find this Goodwill sweater taking top billing (for just $4) in her latest outfit.

HomeRunBallerina: one of my goodwill finds from the day after christmas is this lovely sweater, which i scored for a whopping $4.

We love The Dalomba Days, and Job and Brittany certainly love Goodwill - there blog is full of great finds, including this adorable $1 Valentines' plate. Too cute!

The Dalomba Days: I’m hoping my Goodwill luck is starting to pick up again. I ran in last night and found these 2 things. This Valentine’s plate is originally from Target. $1. I added it to all my Valentine decor.

With a great eye and a giving heart, Katie Bower has built a blog full of great Goodwill finds. Those belljars were her invention - and a great bargain at her local Goodwill. Check out her blog for more amazing Goodwill tips.

All Bower Power: So that is what I want to help with – training your eye to be the Sherlock Holmes of Goodwill shopping. That’s why I am going to share with you some tips on how you can exercise your pretty blinkers to pick out the best of the best…

January is a great month to give; what better way to start the New Year than by helping others (and getting a head start on your 2010 tax deductions in the process)?

Just drop off your gently used clothing and other items at an attended Goodwill site, including any retail store, and keep a record your generosity by filling out one of our forms for free. And if you’re wondering where your goodwill goes, consider this: